Hearing may provide clarity in redistricting chaos

With the Legislature’s redistricting maps tied up in Washington D.C. and the court drawn interim maps for the 2012 election, temporarily put aside by the U.S. Supreme Court — the center of attention in the Texas redistricting case has once again returned to San Antonio, where a three judge panel will hear arguments Tuesday morning about what to do about the state’s filing deadlines and primary date.

In its order, the San Antonio court asked the various groups involved in the complicated legal fight over the state’s redistricting maps to come to an agreement on what to do about the primary date and filing deadlines before the hearing. If the filings in the cases docket are any indication, that hasn’t happened.

The Republican Party of Texas filed papers recommending most of the primary elections from March to May 29 with runoff elections taking place in August. However, it would leave the races the statewide races that typically have the biggest in March, such as the presidential contest and U.S. Senate race.

Minority groups allege that such a move would dramatically decrease turnout for the May primary elections and effectively discriminate against minority voters. Three of those groups — the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, League of United Latin American Citizens and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund — filed a motion in court Monday that asks that all of the primaries be kept together.

The court has not provided any guidance on when it might make a decision about what to do with the state’s filing deadlines and election dates. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments about if the San Antonio court went to far when it drew its maps January 9 and a separate trial to determine if the Legislature’s maps disenfranchise minority voters (or retrogress) will get under way in Washington D.C. on Jan 17.